CANYON, Texas – The #5 Buffaloes registered 14 hits on Friday night but five double-play balls handed WT the Lone Star Conference series opening loss to the #19 Lubbock Christian Chaps at Wilder Park in Canyon, Texas.
 
The Chaps got on the board in the top of the third inning as Luis Navarro lifted a three-run homerun the other way off of the net in right field for the 3-0 advantage. WT cut into the lead in the home half of the frame as Ryan Johnson lifted a solo shot to right center field to make it 3-1.
 
LCU used the long ball again in the fifth as Navarro struck again, this time with a two-run shot to right center for the 5-1 lead. The Buffs answered back in the home half as Kennedy Badgett singled to left with the bases loaded to score Paul Wittmann and Eddy Savoie to cut the lead to 5-3.
 
The Chaps added to their lead in the sixth as Grant Griffin squeezed home Jarred Gibson with one out before Nick Marshall limited the damage with his 11^th strikeout followed by a fielder's choice to send WT to the plate trailing 6-3.
 
LCU added to their lead in the seventh as Gibson drew a bases loaded walk with one out to knock Marshall from the game, Carson Ogilvie lifted an RBI single to left field before Chris Rodriguez stranded the bases loaded with a pair of strikeouts.
 
WT cut into the lead again in the bottom of the eighth as Eric Ortiz crushed a two-run shot to deep right center to make it 8-5. The Buffs wouldn't go down without a fight as Johnson was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the ninth but line drive to shortstop and the fifth double play ball of the night by the Buffs ended the game, 8-5.
 
Marshall picked up the loss (7-1) on the mound for WT, allowing eight earned runs on 12 hits with two walks and 11 strikeouts in his 6.1 innings of work. Rodriguez was dominant out of the bullpen as the junior allowed just one hit and struck out six over the final 2.2 frames.
 
The Buffs and Chaps return to the diamond tomorrow afternoon for doubleheader action starting at 4 p.m. in Canyon.